While they’re best known for their revolutionary Navy chair, iconic American furniture company Emeco makes a whole range of seating and other furniture — not just seaworthy chairs. The development of each product is guided by an eco-friendly ethos and pragmatic approach to design.
Emeco began to take shape during the 1940s, when the U.S. Navy needed a lightweight, fireproof chair that could withstand a torpedo blast and hold up to use by “big, burly sailors,” says Gregg Buchbinder, Emeco’s chief executive.
With experts from the Aluminum Company of America, an engineer named Wilton C. Dinges (1916–74) delivered, and the Emeco 1006 — that is, the Navy chair — an aluminum classic, was born. In order to demonstrate the chair’s sturdiness, Dinges threw it from the eighth floor of a hotel in Chicago, and when it landed, the chair bounced in lieu of breaking or bending.
The engineer secured a contract to manufacture the Navy chair beginning in 1944 at the Electrical Machine and Equipment Company (Emeco), which he’d founded a few years earlier in Hanover, Pennsylvania. In the ensuing decades, the factory’s craftsmen would stamp out by hand hundreds of thousands of Navy chairs for battleships, aircraft carriers and submarines — a process that requires more than 70 steps.
Today, the impossibly durable Navy chair, which is recyclable and made of at least 80 percent recycled aluminum, inspires knockoffs left and right and can be found in a variety of public settings, from upscale restaurants to hotels and offices. But it took time to get here.
In 1979, Gregg’s father, Jay Buchbinder, a businessman whose Long Beach, California, furniture company manufactured seating for fast food restaurants, purchased Emeco. The company hit a rough patch in the 1990s. When Gregg acquired Emeco from Jay in 1998, he took the $2 million in debt that came along with it. Fortuitously, Gregg learned that the Navy chair had taken on a new nonmilitary identity around the same time and that it was increasingly seen as sleek and retro in addition to being great submarine seating. Orders for the Navy chair were coming in from design luminaries like Ettore Sottsass, Giorgio Armani and a daring young French designer named Philippe Starck, who purchased a large number of 1006s for Ian Schrager’s Paramount hotel in New York City.
Gregg seized on Emeco’s newfound popularity, initiating a partnership with Starck, who would design the company’s Hudson Collection, a line planned for Manhattan’s Hudson Hotel that saw the Navy chair take on the form of a barstool and other pieces. He also partnered with Frank Gehry, whose Superlight chair for Emeco can be hoisted off the ground with one hand. Collaborations with Jasper Morrison, Jean Nouvel and others followed, and today, Emeco continues to build durable seating furniture from a range of recycled materials with a variety of designers.
Find authentic Emeco chairs, stools, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Set of Six Late 20th C. Emeco Industries Painted Metal and Upholstered Armchairs
By Emeco
Located in Germantown, MD
Set of Six Late 20th Century Emeco Industries Painted Metal and Upholstered Armchairs. Measures 22.75" in width, 20" in depth and 32.5" in height. Seat height is 17". Arm height 26"....
Metal
$1,000Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 43.75 in W 27.25 in D 27.5 in
French Louis XVI Style Giltwood Upholstered Armchairs, 20th C
Located in Big Flats, NY
A pair of French Louis XVI style armchairs offer giltwood frames with upholstered seats and backs, carved foliate crest, scroll form arms, acanthus elements and raised on turned and ...
Giltwood, Upholstery
Pair of Armchairs by B&B Italia, Late 20th Century
By B&B Italia
Located in Greding, DE
Pair of modern armchairs featuring a chrome-plated metal frame with wide support straps. Generously cushioned and upholstered in a brick-red fabric, these chairs combine comfort with...
Metal
$4,995 / set
H 32 in W 21.8 in D 35.1 in
Pair Of 20th Century French Oak Armchairs With Upholstered Seats And Backs
Located in High Point, NC
This pair of 20th Century French oak armchairs features a striking, carved silhouette that blends rustic craftsmanship with sculptural presence. Each chair is constructed from solid ...
Upholstery, Oak
$2,400Sale Price / set|50% Off
H 34 in W 23.5 in D 23.25 in
French Louis XVI Style Painted Fauteuil Armchairs, Late 19th Century -Early 20th
Located in Miami, FL
French Louis XVI Style Painted Fauteuil Armchairs, Late 19th Century -Early 20th Offered for sale is a pair of French Louis XVI style painted fauteuil armchairs. The chairs are eith...
Fabric, Wood
Upholstered Italian Mid-Century Armchair, Italy 20th Century
Located in Utrecht, NL
The mid-20th century marked a golden era for Italian interior design. Amidst a booming economy and a newfound sense of optimism, Italian designers began to explore new materials, exp...
Fabric, Wood
20th Century French Oak Armchair With Upholstered Seat And Back
Located in High Point, NC
This 20th Century French oak armchair combines rustic craftsmanship with comfort, showcasing a bold yet inviting design. Constructed from solid oak, the frame features wide carved ar...
Upholstery, Oak
$7,531Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 26.78 in W 27.17 in D 27.56 in
Set of 4 Vintage Walnut Parquetry Fauteuil Armchairs, Upholstered, 20th Century
Located in Lisbon, PT
Elegant set of four walnut fauteuil armchairs featuring refined proportions and decorative parquetry woodwork. Each chair includes upholstered seats and backs with a classic multicol...
Fabric, Walnut
$2,556Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 35.9 in W 22.6 in D 21.1 in
20th Century French Pair Of Oak Armchairs With Upholstered Seats
Located in High Point, NC
This pair of 20th-century French oak armchairs embodies rustic elegance with a timeless design that seamlessly fits into both traditional and modern interiors. Crafted from solid oak...
Upholstery, Oak
$250Sale Price / set|36% Off
H 40 in W 27.5 in D 20 in
Postmodern Aqua Upholstered Armchairs, Late 20th Century Design
By Design Institute America
Located in Trenton, NJ
A sculptural nod to postmodern design, this pair of fully upholstered armchairs features strong architectural lines softened by an inviting aqua textile. With a commanding silhouette...
Upholstery
$7,150 / set
H 33.47 in W 21.66 in D 15.75 in
Set of Six 20th Century Armchairs in Baby Blue Velvet, Mieczyslaw Puchala, 1960s
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Armchair designed by Mieczyslaw Puchala. Dark brown wood combined with a baby blue beautiful velvet gives it elegance and nobility. The chair has undergone a full carpentry and uphol...
Textile, Beech
$6,500 / set
H 38.59 in W 21.26 in D 22.25 in
Pair of Wooden Armchairs with Upholstered Cushions, Europe 20th Century
Located in Utrecht, NL
With wedge and hammer, the chair-maker slowly creates shorter pieces to be worked into the seat, spindle, crest rail, and legs. This pair of wooden armchairs stands as a proud example of traditional design practice; their solid nail-free joints highlight the skill and artistry of its makers. This construction method enhances the armchairs’ structure and presents the reverence it deserves. This set borrows from great past examples, such as the Windsor chair or - more broadly - the spindle models widely used throughout Europe during the 20th century. These elements render this specific design truly timeless. They are among the most recognisable models of mid-century chairs in Europe. The spindle chairs are a ubiquitous classic that does just as well in the living room, dining room or even the hall, drawing every eye to it. The proportions are well-thought-out, and the see-through design adds a simple and airy touch. Each chair of this set has fifteen symmetrically arranged wooden slim spindles that form the back and armrests. A continuous arm and bow-back frame the slim spindles, offering a seamless joint from the seat and the back. The legs splay outward and run into the seat, which is a single wood piece slightly inclined to assist a more comfortable seating experience combined with the custom-made cushion upholstered in premium bouclé fabric. This model’s design is a classic that goes beyond trends, a product of a deep-rooted desire to showcase impeccable craftsmanship and a stylish aesthetic without compromising the quality of production or materials. This spindle chair set...
Fabric, Wood
$9,414 / set
H 32.29 in W 19.3 in D 20.87 in
Set of Six Model Tulip Chairs, Eero Saarinen, Knoll, Late 20th Century
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Set of six model Tulip chairs, design Eero Saarinen, manufactured by Knoll, Late 20th Century. Fiberglass and aluminum frame, seats upholstered with quality model Elysee 14611 -fabri...
Aluminum
Sold
H 33.5 in W 21.5 in D 24 in
Emeco Navy Officer Swivel Armchair in Black Leather and Brushed Aluminum Frame
By Emeco, Jasper Morrison
Located in Hanover, PA
Jasper Morrison has given Emeco’s classic upholstered Navy Officer Collection a fresh, light and modern update. The Navy Officer Collection by Jasper Morrison features a chair, an armchair and swivel chairs, available in hand-brushed aluminum or a black powder coat finish. Upholstery is offered in a selection of Kvadrat and Maharam textiles and leathers. The Emeco 1006...
Aluminum